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We no longer think of chairs as technology; we just think of them as chairs. But there was a time when we hadn't worked out how many legs chairs should have, how tall they should be, and they would often 'crash' when we tried to use them.
Douglas Adams
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote reflects how everyday objects, like chairs, evolve in our perception from technological innovations to mere commonplace items over time.

Douglas Adams highlights the journey of technological development as something that, once established, fades into the background of everyday life. We often forget the complexity and thought that went into creating simple objects because they become so integrated into our daily routine that we take them for granted. Adams reminds us that even the most ordinary items have a history of innovation and adaptation behind them.

Themes

TechnologyChairsInnovationPerceptionEveryday Life

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about innovation in design, one could use this quote to illustrate how common items evolve over time.

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